After a day at Lotte World, we head back to our AirBnB home and got cup ramyun! NOM NOM NOM!
Today, we decided to try out the famous Noryangjin Fish Market to taste some fresh seafood.
The varieties here are so much better than Singapore and all these seafood are much much bigger than those found in Singapore. Although our local supermarkets always boast fresh seafood, but they are mostly frozen. Although there are some stalls at Noryangjin Fish Market that sells frozen seafood, you should not buy from there. Select fresher options which are nearer the restaurants.
Although Korea is surrounded by the ocean and has vast fisheries, the seafood is still expensive. We tried to haggle as best as we could but probably due to the fact that we are all foreigners, we suspect we were charged more expensive than usual. Some of our Singaporean friends also faced the same situation when they came here themselves.
As there were lots of restaurants opposite the stalls, most of the owners/chef would come out and 'persuade' you to enter their restaurant so they can cook for you. Don't be fooled, some of the fishmongers have already negotiated with these restaurant owners, so do ask for cheaper restaurants from second level or from more discreet places. The best way would probably be to ask the restaurants if they provide services to cook the seafood and the cost of cooking.
YES. These restaurants do charge for cooking as well as charging for per person that enters their restaurant. After we finished our expensive lunch, consisting live octopus, crab, 3 abalones and a few shells, we met this friendly Ahjumma who introduced her restaurant. And she charged cheaper! So disappointing.
Overall, I feel that Noryangjin Fish Market is best visited with a Korean friend who knows much better. We were afraid to haggle further as the fishmongers were showing angry faces when we took too much time to discuss on what to get.
If you were to come here and taste the fresh seafood of Korea, do be prepared to spend money. And be more decisive on what you want to eat.
